All the Answers
by bobalinafeelsmanly
Summary: There are things in life that can only be truly learned and understood by trying. Hermione trusted her books to teach her everything she'd ever need to know, then Luna Lovegood came along and causes her to question it. The eccentric blonde's words linger in her mind, "Can a book teach you to love?"
1. Chapter 1

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Author's notes: I really have no idea how often I'll update this as I'm working on another story right now too. I don't plan for this to be very long as I started this intending for it to be a oneshot. I couldn't wrap it up nicely though (the pacing was an issue) so I figured I'd extend it. I'm a little conflicted though, because with extending it, I'm not sure how I want it to end now.

I guess I'll just play it loose and see where it takes me. I hope I don't keep you guys waiting too long!

Insert typical disclaimer here, because this is obviously nothing more than fanfiction.

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The Second Wizarding War had been a trying time for everyone. It didn't really get much better after it ended either. Still left with all the loss and chaos, people were thrown about while trying to pick themselves back up. In all the confusion, it was easy to lose sight of one's self and their personal priorities. Miss Hermione Jean Granger was not one of those people.

After a great deal of work, Hogwarts was able to be reopened by the next school year. Deciding that she'd rather not waste her education, the studious girl chose to go back to complete her final year.

For the time being, the young witch thought it wise to leave her parents where they were with their altered memories. There were still quite a few stray Death Eaters out there and she wanted her family to remain safe until she was sure they would not be targeted. She also had much less flexibility to check in on them while at Hogwarts. She believed it an all around good idea to leave them be for now until things were safer and more stable.

She greatly missed them though. She went to watch them from afar to see for herself that they were alright before heading to Hogwarts. She kept a photograph of them on her person at all times. She charmed it so that only she could see her parents with the proper trick while everyone else simply saw a photo devoid of people.

School had been a bit awkward at first as she tried to get back into the swing of things and deal with all the awed stares she'd receive being one of what's been dubbed the 'Golden Trio'. She thought it was ridiculous. Many people had fought in the war, she wasn't special and didn't like all the attention.

The absence of all her old classmates was another thing that made the whole thing feel odd. Since most of her class had already graduated the year before while she was out searching for horcruxes, she was placed with the year below her. It was comforting to at least see two friendly faces as she was now in Ginny and Luna's year, though it was still something to get used to.

Having Ginny in a number of her classes caused her to often beeline towards the younger girl as she knew no one else. The bookworm wasn't the greatest at making new friends and didn't feel inclined to try. The redhead typically didn't mind, though Hermione could tell there were times she wanted to sit with another friend, but didn't want to refuse the older girl. There were many times that Hermione felt like perhaps she no longer belonged at Hogwarts as nothing was the same, though even when graduation comes, she'll be hesitant to leave.

As odd as it may sound, Hermione's favorite classes were the ones with Ravenclaw as every shared Gryffindor-Ravenclaw class she had, Luna was also in it. Luna was always pleased to see Hermione sit next to her or waiting at the same table for her. The little blonde had taken to sitting next to Hermione at the Gryffinor table in the dinning hall as well. They spent a good deal of time in the library together doing their school work or simply learning for pleasure.

The brunette never would have fathomed that she'd come to enjoy the company of "Loony" Luna Lovegood so very much. As trying as it was in the beginning of their shared classes, she came to realize how deeply brilliant the other girl was. The younger girl would often daydream in class and was terrible at taking notes, yet it appeared to make sense in her own mind as she retained every lesson with startling accuracy. Her methods would often frustrate the bookworm, yet somehow the girl always did just as well as Hermione did in class.

She couldn't fight the slight scowl whenever she'd see that Luna had actually done better than her on something. She was accustomed to being the brightest witch of her age and the little blonde's particular ways left her feeling conflicted and confused. Luna did everything all wrong, so how was it that she did so well?

Even though they were so very different and Luna's wording could be a little irritating at times, Hermione had come to really enjoy talking to her. They often discussed what they were learning in class or any extracurricular learning they had picked up.

The only time Luna showed any real passion or enthusiasm was when she talked about something she had learned. The brunette could happily listen to her for hours. Well, she had on more than one occasion actually. The younger girl had once talked and explained for five rapt hours what she had discovered about muggle chemistry. In truth, Hermione didn't know much about it herself as all her muggle schooling ended as soon as she received her letter from Hogwarts. It appeared to greatly interest her friend though.

She eventually realized why when she had learned more about Luna's mother. The woman had been a potions genius, adding in aspects found in muggle chemistry to her experiments. Unfortunately, one of those very experiments is what took her life, though it didn't deter her daughter's interest in the subject. In a way, Hermione believed it may have actually been what caused the other girl to be so interested in learning all she could about it.

Like her mother, Luna had a real talent for potion brewing. She always, without fail, received full Outstandings in Potions. Hermione never had that class with her, still paired with Slytherin like she had been before. She couldn't help but wonder how the smaller girl looked as she went to work. Does she get that look she does when she talks about something she finds interesting? Does her scraggly blonde hair begin to frizz standing over the boiling cauldron? Does she take those awful scattered notes filled with doodles all over the page like her other classes?

They were seated together in their usual corner of the library as the bookworm pondered these things, studying the other girl out of the corner of her eye. The younger girl appeared to be deep in thought as she read through the book before her, lightly trailing the feathered tip of her quill back and forth across her nose. Hermione had noted that it was an unconscious habit her friend had while she worked silently. She couldn't help but smile slightly as it took away from the serious expression on the little blonde's face.

"You've been staring at me for quite some time now, Hermione. Is there something you wish to ask me, though are unsure of how to word it? Even if it comes out a bit strangely, you may ask me either way," Luna said airily and without looking up, though after so much silence her voice was a little startling.

"A-Ah, no. I was just... thinking really," the brunette replied somewhat awkwardly. That was another thing that tended to frustrate her. Luna made her feel foolish and awkward in a way she never had with anyone else. She couldn't really explain it, but sometimes she felt like the other girl could look right through her and it was unnerving.

Gently placing her quill down, the younger girl looked up to stare evenly at her friend sitting across from her. She was doing it now. The way she looked at Hermione made the girl feel like she was being read as easily as the words on a page. After a moment of scrutiny, the blonde's face broke out into an easy smile and she lightly prodded with, "May I inquire as to what you were thinking about?"

Sighing faintly, the older girl knew that Luna wouldn't pry if she asked, though not saying anything at all would be strange. How could she say that she was thinking about Luna without it sounding weird though? Instead, she cleared her throat and leaned forward in her seat a tad, beginning a slightly exaggerated story, "Well, you see... I have this potions exam coming up, I'm sure you do as well, and I must say I'm a little flustered. I've been practicing, though some of the potions I brew don't turn out exactly... grand. They're alright, though I believe they could be better. I'm not sure how to improve on them though. I've read and reread the book a dozen times, and it's always the same result."

Hermione felt herself grow hot all over, surely turning quite red at the sound of the other girl's light laughter. Now she felt silly for saying anything at all, though Luna's warm smile quickly helped the feeling fade. Her blush did not.

Vaguely shaking her head as if to gather herself, the blonde continued to smile as she looked at the girl opposite her, "And that is your problem. You rely too heavy upon your books to give you all the answers."

Furrowing her brow, the brunette should have expected something like this. All she could think was, _'Here we go...'_ Leaning even further forward in her seat, Hermione said somewhat hotly, "And what other purpose would books have if not to teach us things? It is a text book! Of course it should have all the answers!"

Placing her hands on the table with fingers gently laced, Luna also leaned forward slightly, though with a look of light amusement. Hermione hated that look. It's the look she gave when she knew something the other girl didn't. It frustrated her.

"Can a book teach you to love?" was the simple reply that sent the older girl reeling. What the bloody hell did that mean? What did that have to do with anything? She must be scowling at this point as the blonde's eyes twinkled with mirth.

She continued on with, "Can it teach you happiness? Can it teach you to fail? Can it teach you true sorrow? Can it teach you to live?"

Jerking away and faintly slamming her back against her seat in frustration, the brunette groaned, "Please, tell me where you're going with this, Luna."

"You can read all you like, but the only way to truly learn is to try."

Practically growling now, the bookworm let out, "Haven't you been paying attention? I said I have tried. My potions are satisfactory, though I wish to improve."

Vaguely shaking her head once more, the blonde reached out and splayed her fingers just before Hermione's tense ones. Her tone was soft, "You did as the book told you. Over and over, you repeated the same process and expected a different result," she added in a little absently, "Some call that madness you know..."

Looking in the clearly irritated eyes of her companion and lightly brushing her fingertips against the other's, she tried to sooth the girl as best she could while trying to explain what she meant. Tilting her head to the side, she continued again, "To me, that is not trying. It's simply following directions. That's no way to learn and grow. It's simply living within the shadow of another. You must find your own way. Try things differently. Experiment. Sometimes the book method isn't always the best method. But you'll never know if you don't try."

Hermione closed her eyes and felt her body relax, focusing on the other girl's fingertips. The blonde's initial wording of these little "lessons" she takes it upon herself to teach her friend often angered her at first, only calming once it began making more sense. The bookworm was far more logical, organized and literal. The little daydreamer was typically confusing to her until she elaborated and confusion lead to irritation for her. She reached forward and gently grasped those fingers in her hands, unsure of what to say as her frustration receded.

"There are some things a book simply can't teach you. They could be used as guidelines, though the only way to really learn is to get out there and try," the younger girl stated, studying the hands holding her own as if they were the most interesting thing she had ever seen.

The brunette opened her eyes and found herself smiling at the girl before her who stared at their hands almost confused. She had never seen such an expression on Luna before. It wasn't the first time the little blonde had tried expanding Hermione's views and it certainly wasn't the first time Hermione grew irritated with her. It wasn't the first time she reached out to try and sooth the older girl's frustrations either. But it was the first time she reached back.

All of the negativity washed away as soon as it came and Hermione began laughing at the look on the other girl's face. Quickly looking up to meet her eyes, the blonde's brows were slightly raised in further confusion. Smiling warmly, the older girl laced their fingers and watched as Luna sharply looked back down at their hands once more. She had never seen the blonde blush before and it sent a certain thrill rushing through her.

"Perhaps," the brunette began, "you may be right. As you said, the only way to know is to try. Do you think you'd be willing to help me then?"

"Of course, Hermione," was the immediate reply as the other girl looked up again.

She wondered briefly if this was how Luna looked at her as she examined every inch of the girl's face. It wasn't that the blonde had never shown much emotion before, just that it was often very subtle. Her face looked so open and vulnerable now that Hermione wanted to drink it in before the airy girl drifted away again.

Face flushed and eyes full of uncertainty, Luna had never looked more beautiful. It stirred something in the older girl that she couldn't quite place.

Hermione lightly squeezed the other girl's fingers, then retracted her own. She noticed the small look of loss that crosses the younger girl's face as she begins packing up her things. The blonde looks confused and a tad worried as she watches on, asking, "Hermione?"

Smiling, the girl in question replies, "It's gotten awfully late and I've finished all my assignments already. I'm holding you to your word. You'll be helping me with potions tomorrow," after a moment, she adds on, "I'm sorry if I sounded rude earlier."

Shaking her head, Luna's face relaxed to it's normal, easy expression. The brunette missed the "vulnerable Luna" already. Her voice was light and breezy, "I assure you that I'm quite accustomed to it. You're a rather hostile creature by nature, though you often mean well. I wonder if it's perhaps a common Gryffindor trait. Many Gryffindors are like that, though not all of them. All the Houses tend to have fairly common traits among it's students, though they don't necessarily apply to every single one of them."

Sighing faintly in amusement over the younger girl's rambling, Hermione stood and slipped the strap for her bag over her shoulder, sliding the bag itself around to her back. She nodded her head towards her seated friend and said somewhat softly, "I'll see you at breakfast."

"Goodnight, Hermione Granger. I will see you at breakfast," the blonde replied easily. Smiling slightly, she continued with, "And I will gladly assist you with your potions studies after classes end tomorrow."

Lightly gripping the strap to her bag, the older girl smiled once more, "I'll meet you here then."


	2. Chapter 2

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Author's notes: I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update! I've been having trouble getting a feel for how I want this story to go and for how long. I'm still uncertain really, so the next chapter may take about as long as this one to be planned out and posted. I don't want the story to feel rushed, so I take forever arguing in my head what I want to happen with how to pace it. I hope you guys will think my writing is decent enough to make up for my slow updates and forgive me!

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True to her word, Luna was awaiting her older friend at "their spot" in the library after classes had ended the next day. Hermione smiled softly to herself as she watched the little blonde from across the room. Luna was slowly removing all her books and notes, arranging them neatly all over the table. _Neatly_, like how Hermione preferred. The eccentric girl usually appeared to have no real order to her things that the brunette could tell.

But today was different. She was trying to appease the older girl's more organized mind. Clutter tended to frustrate Hermione, though that seemed to be how Luna worked. Surrounding herself in a mess, pushing parchment here and there, a book open and buried, another with some strange stain that more than likely came from something the little blonde was snacking on during a particular read through, random little drawings and nearly illegible scribbles that were supposed to be "notes"...

Today was not about Luna though. She had said she'd assist her friend with potions and that's what she intended to do. Hermione's mind worked differently and she was far less flexible with it than the younger girl, so Luna took it upon herself to be the one to adapt to the other's way of thinking. She figured that by accommodating the brunette, the girl would be more willing to listen and find it easier to learn from her.

Though, this would probably be easier said than done. Luna had a tendency to be vague and speak in a round-about way. It was something that Hermione didn't always have the patience for. Hermione liked blunt, solid answers that left no room for questions. Luna liked open, fluid answers filled with possibilities.

Once the smaller girl had finished setting out her things, she stopped to study it a moment with her brows just barely furrowed in thought. She appeared to be pleased with it as a small smile graced her lips that caused Hermione's own smile to grow. The older girl had taken to simply watching her friend from afar as of late. She couldn't quite explain why, but it... made her happy. Just watching Luna do simple things, watching the subtle shifts in her expression that went along with the girl's ever changing train of thought. She felt like she could better appreciate the younger girl that way. It's then, when watching her without the girl's awareness, that Hermione really got to see how grand Luna is.

For Luna, her thoughts and emotions ran through her eyes more than anything. A brightness as an idea hit her, a tiny narrowing as she grows frustrated or irritated, the way they relax showing calm enjoyment, the way they just slightly close showing pride in herself. Hermione never would have noticed those things if she had never started watching her friend this way. When she simply watched her without the girl's knowledge, Luna appeared so... normal. All of her oddities didn't seem so strange anymore. In fact, it actually made her seem more... interesting. Like a puzzle meant to be solved. 'What is Luna doing now? Why would she do that? What could it mean? What could she be thinking? What do her eyes say at the moment?'

Hermione had learned that while the blonde may have a sometimes confusing and vague way of wording things, the girl's actions are always quite deliberate. Luna never did anything on a whim, she always had a reason. Though the older girl didn't always understand whatever reasons her friend had, it didn't make her any less admiring of it. Hermione liked things to be sensible and the things Luna did always made sense to Luna if no one else. The brunette had used to think the airy girl was guilty of flights of fancy due to her particular way of speaking and the general way the girl presented herself. She now felt something like respect for her friend knowing she had been wrong. Luna's actually very analytical and ponders her actions and possible outcomes before doing something, even more so than Hermione herself.

That thought brought the older girl back into the moment, realizing that Luna had more than likely spent a great deal of time planning for this study session. She felt a little guilty now. She would like to do better in potions yes, but it wasn't necessary for the smaller girl to have gone through so much trouble for it. The mock lesson hadn't even begun and Hermione was already certain that her friend took it very seriously when Hermione herself had simply made up her "problem" on the spot. She hadn't been _lying _per se, but she had _exaggerated _a bit.

It warmed her heart to know that Luna was so eager and genuinely wanted to help, though that simply made her feel even more guilty. She mentally told herself that even if the younger girl started to become confusing or irritating as she talked, Hermione will remain a good student with an even temper. She owed the girl that much.

Looking up from her work, Luna finally noticed her friend standing at the end of one of the many bookshelves near "their table". She smiled instantly and warmly at Hermione, causing the older girl's face to flush slightly as she awkwardly smiled back. She had been caught staring again and hoped that the blonde won't question it. Her mind went blank as soon as she saw the other girl's smile directed at her and she wouldn't be able to come up with a proper excuse. It was a particular smile that was only ever directed at herself, always causing Hermione's brain to go on the fritz.

Needlessly adjusting the strap to her bag, Hermione braced herself and began walking over towards the table. She needed to clear her head and stop thinking so intently about her friend. She worried that it would show on her face, that Luna would be able to tell. The little blonde has this bizarre ability to simply _know _things that made Hermione uncomfortable at times. With just one look, Luna could go on and on describing a person's basic personality, current mood, and sometimes even guess at what they may be thinking about without ever even having met the person. She had guessed at what the brunette was thinking on a handful of occasions and it was very unsettling to her. After Hermione snapped at her for it once, the younger girl stopped. But just because she stopped voicing it, it didn't mean she couldn't still read the older girl.

Luna appeared to do it unconsciously, she just looked at someone and saw more than the average person. It was part of what caused her to be teased so much before the war. She didn't realize how much it bothered people to be told and asked such personal things. They often lashed out against her because of how vulnerable they were left feeling after she spoke to them. That combined with her odd beliefs, she was an easy target for bullying. She made people uncomfortable. She still did to an extent, but she had learned to rein it in a bit as the years rolled on.

The only person she _truly_ made feel uneasy anymore was Hermione. The brunette couldn't always even rationalize what it was her friend was doing that left her feeling that way, so she tended to try to brush it off. It wasn't like Luna was actually doing anything that she needed to be reprimanded for. Like right now, she was simply smiling at the older girl, yet it stirred an odd feeling in Hermione that she didn't fully understand and didn't entirely _like_. She felt... foolish.

She imagined that she may have looked a bit foolish as well, Luna's smile had widened as she watched her. Vaguely nodding her head to the seat across from her, the blonde spoke easily and cheerfully, "Hello, Hermione. You may sit you know, I've been eagerly awaiting your arrival."

Face flushing, the brunette grit her teeth and quickly pulled her chair out. Was she standing there for long? It was apparently long enough for the other girl to notice the strangeness of it. Practically ripping her messenger bag off, Hermione sat down and cleared her throat.

"Yes, hello. I'm... sorry if you were waiting long. I was... lost in thought," the brunette said awkwardly.

Lightly humming, the younger girl's tone was understanding, "I know, I could tell. I didn't want to disturb you until you seemed like you were back. I quite dislike having a thought disrupted as it can be difficult to recall again later. If you'd like, you could take note of it," she said, holding out a small blank piece of parchment, "so you can come back to it again."

Chuckling faintly, Hermione shook her head, "Thank you, but that's not necessary. It wasn't all that important really."

"Are you certain?" the blonde asked, lowering her hand that still grasped the offered parchment, "It looked awfully important to you if your expression is anything to go by."

The older girl bit her tongue as she felt hot all over. She felt irritated and wasn't exactly sure why. She was also nervous, had she been figured out that quickly? Did the other girl know that she had been staring again? Did she-

"I apologize," came the quick response from Luna, cutting off the brunette's train of thought. She immediately withdrew her hand and placed the parchment down on the table.

Hermione furrowed her brow in confusion, slightly startled by her friend's sudden change in demeanor. When Luna looked at her face again, the younger girl soon broke out into a smile and shook her head as if realizing something. Hermione wasn't mad.

"You looked uncomfortable," the younger girl said, her voice light once more, "That was not my intention."

"I know," Hermione's voice came out steadier than she had expected, "It's never your intention, that's why I forgive you time and time again," she smiled lightly and nearly whispered, "It's really nothing to worry about Luna, though I thank you for trying to be helpful."

Luna's smile warmed once more as she looked at her friend across from her. The older girl had to look away as that smile tore at her heart and caused her brain to malfunction. She couldn't handle that right now, her nerves already a little on edge. As peculiar as Luna was, she was an extremely kindhearted person. To the point that such kindness hurt her, that people abused that kindness. Hermione tried her best not to hurt her, knowing that she probably has on more than one occasion. That she probably will again from time to time. She didn't want to as much as Luna didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but it was bound to happen every now and then. She just wanted to try and move past it as quickly as possible.

"Sooo," Hermione dragged out as she looked around the table, taking in the sight of all the clearly written notes mixed in with the occasion drawings. Luna really had gone out of her way with this, and the brunette wanted to show how appreciative she was, "Where do we start?"

Eyes instantly lighting up, the little blonde's smile became excited as she spoke, "By throwing out nearly everything the book has taught you."

"What?!" came the immediate response, the older girl sitting forward in her seat.

Luna shook her head, amusement evident in her voice, "It will be fun, I assure you. A lot of the basics like what ingredients are and what they're used for should be kept exactly as they are in your memory. Though that is subject to change if you wish to engage in serious experimentation... But I'm getting ahead of myself."

Hermione stared at her in disbelief. She couldn't be serious. Luna wanted her to just _forget _what her text book said. How could she...? That's just ridiculous. Perhaps she is a bit mad, that "Loony" had been a cruel, but fitting name.

But she knows how brilliant the girl is. Mad or not, Luna was bloody _brilliant_. She must know what she's talking about to be the head of her class in potions... The bookworm would simply have to take her word for it, at least listen and try it her way. Then she could decide whether or not she agreed.

Sighing and gentle rubbing her temple, Hermione sounded a tad exasperated as she said, "Alright, Luna, fine. Consider it forgotten. Now what am I supposed to do?"

"Open your mind," the little blonde stated easily.

Squeezing her eyes shut and clenching her jaw, the brunette refrained from fussing at her friend's vagueness. Her tone was still slightly irritated though as she said, "I don't understand what you mean."

"Just that. Open your mind, think for yourself. Consider your books as guidelines, not literal instructions. Here, look," the younger girl said, placing her own text book down on top of her notes on the table.

Still a little frustrated, Hermione leaned forward to look at the book to where her friend was pointing. Her stomach dropped as she saw what the girl's finger was positioned above - sopophorous bean. She knew what Luna was going to say, remembering Harry's copy of Advanced Potion-Making. Or rather, Snape's old copy. She felt uneasy as she glanced up at Luna's face, the excitement clear in the other girl's eyes.

"The book tells you again and again that you should cut sopophorous beans to collect their juices, though it's quite difficult isn't it?" she asked, looking back at Hermione. Her excitement began to wan as she took in the brunette's expression, unsure of what was wrong. She moved back to sit more fully in her chair again, removing her hand from the book. Continuing more softly, she said, "You don't get much juice that way either, squeezing it in your hand. The bean itself is too hard. It's much easier to crush it with a tool of some sort. It depends on personal preference, though I typically use a mortar and crush it just once. It collects the juice that way and I can then simply pour it in my cauldron when it's needed."

"That's a really good idea, Luna," the older girl said, her voice shaking slightly. It brought up thoughts and feelings she didn't want to deal with. Everything that was Severus Snape. Who he was, how he came to be. A man wandering the dark, though ultimately on the side of light all the while. The horrible things he did in order to do the right thing when it mattered. The horrible things they thought about him as he was trying to protect them the whole time. She'll never have the chance to thank him or apologize now. He was as brave as any Gryffindor, though his cunning determination is what truly marked him a Slytherin. He was willing to go to lengths that the average man would never have the nerve to in order to achieve his goal - avenge someone he loved and keep her child safe. He wasn't even so much a "hero" as he was an avenger. But if not for him and his role, they more than likely would have all died a long time ago.

It also made her think of Harry. They write to one another, though they've both been so busy that she doesn't get to talk to him as much as she'd like. She'd really much prefer seeing him as it's been months. Both of them being only children growing up, the closest they had to a sibling was each other. Harry was easily her best friend and she missed him dearly. She wanted to talk to him about Luna, hoping that he'd make more sense of her strange behavior lately. She had grown a lot more attached to the little blonde than she thought possible. Her feelings for Luna were now practically on par with her feelings for Harry, making the girl like her best friend. Though it was different in a way she couldn't quite grasp. Harry was like a brother to her, and Luna was... she didn't know. It was just different.

When thinking of Harry, she couldn't stop her mind from wandering to Ron. They had had... "a moment" during the great battle here at Hogwarts, though it quickly fizzled out. There was just too much to deal with. They had been attracted to each other, sure, but it was something else entirely to actually be together like that. They were too different and had too many personal things they needed to attend to than to try and begin a relationship. Hermione was trying to get back into school, worrying about her parents, trying to figure out a career... She was concerned with her future, her _own _future. She cared very little if she had a special someone in it or not, so long as she was successful and happy. Ron had his own family and future to worry about and the loss of Fred had hit them all pretty hard. There are still days in which Ginny may not talk as much as usual. They both agreed to let it go, saying that they may try again someday, though not for a long time.

She felt bad that she now felt a little awkward when it came to Ron, not writing him as much as she wrote Harry. It made her regret ever kissing him. It felt like the right thing to do at the time, believing it was highly likely that they were going to die. She honestly didn't think much about what would happen if they lived. Now that the war had been won, it seems to just continue on with all the damage it's left behind. And now her friendship with Ron was damaged as well. They weren't angry or resentful or anything, it was just difficult to talk to each other now. It was simply awkward.

"Hermione?" the younger girl called softly.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, the girl in question smiled faintly, though it didn't reach her eyes, "I'm sorry, I zoned out on you again. It seems my mind isn't exactly here today."

"It's quite alright," Luna replied, reaching a hand out across the table towards the other girl, "Is there anything troubling you that you'd like to discuss?"

Quickly taking the offered hand in her own, Hermione smiled more easily now, "I'd like to discuss potions. I'd like more examples of what you're talking about. I think I might understand, though I'm not completely certain what you mean by '_guidelines_' yet."

Glancing down at their joined hands, the blonde shifted hers to grasp the other's more firmly and comfortably, a light pink hue coloring her pale face. She nodded, deciding not to push and went on to say, "Yes, I told you this will be fun. It's a bit of experimenting, and a bit of logical thinking. I'm sure you'll enjoy that."

Gently squeezing the other girl's hand, Hermione grinned, "Certainly. I must ask, logical how?"

Slipping her tongue out to quickly wet her lips, Luna's eyes shot down to their hands at the briefly added pressure, then shot back up to the older girl's face. She was getting harder to read and it made the blonde uneasy.

"Like how it makes more sense to crush the bean than cut it," she began, "If you think on it, there is a better way to prepare most ingredients than how it's stated in the book. Some potions tend to have a small, almost unnoteworthy side effect that can be a tad loathsome as well. If you think on it, there are often times an ingredient that counteracts that exact thing. Then, it's just a matter of figuring out whether or not it would be worth adding to the recipe. If it will cause no harm, then it's on to figuring out the best amount. Amounts of an ingredient added to a potion is a good thing to experiment with anyway. Sometimes the book calls for more than what's truly needed. Other times, a potion becomes more potent if just a small amount of the right thing is added. It's all a matter of fully understanding the ingredients and how they interact with one another. Once you have a complete grasp of that, the book becomes a bit... irrelevant. You can figure out any recipe on your own and you can figure out how to improve any recipe you read. The possibilities become endless."

Hermione sat there, a little in awe of her friend. Luna was right, it _was_ logical. She felt a little silly for never thinking that way. Of course, a potion is nothing without it's ingredients. For your potion to turn out better, you must be better with the ingredients.

"Luna, that's brilliant! It's so simple, yet it makes all the difference in the world," she practically gushed.

The younger girl smiled from such praise, her blush intensifying, "As you said, it's simple. It's not all that grand of a thought."

"But it is!" Hermione happily argued. She laughed lightly before continuing with, "Oh, Luna, you were right. I do believe I will enjoy this. What are all these notes you've brought?

Looking down and placing her free hand on the parchment, the blonde's face remained quite flushed. Her hand was steady and her voice was clear despite the coloring of her cheeks as she said, "Everything I know about all the ingredients that will be used in the potions on the upcoming exam."

"Luna!" the brunette exclaimed in a slightly worried tone, "How long did it take you to write all this?"

Shaking her head vaguely, the girl simply said, "That's not important," she looked up at Hermione again and smiled lightly, "I set them all out so you can choose which you'd like to start with. I wrote each ingredient on separate pages and left enough room so you can add anything you'd like. Once you've retained the information about the ingredients themselves, I'd like you to try to create the potions we've learned recently without the use of the book. We can try that tomorrow if you'd feel confident in your knowledge by then. I want to see what you come up with on your own, though I'm more than happy to explain how I prepare the potions myself after your first attempt. We could experiment together and perhaps come up with an even better way to create some of them."

Opening, then closing her mouth, the older girl decided to nod. She really wanted to know how much time Luna spent doing all this for her, but the girl didn't seem like she wanted to tell. It confirmed in her mind that her friend probably spent most of the night on it. Sure, Luna more than likely had all these notes written down already, though they were written the way she typically writes them. She rewrote all of it neatly and organized just for Hermione. There were drawings of the ingredients themselves and diagrams depicting the different methods of preparing them depending on what was needed from them. It was clear and easy to follow. It was all... written like a text book.

Luna did that for her.

She suddenly felt rather emotional, so she cleared her throat and tried to focus. She just now remembered how they were still holding hands and wanted to pull away, though she didn't think she had the heart. Instead, she pulled one of the sheets of parchment closer to herself and said with a slight tremble in her voice, "I suppose I'll start with valerian."

"Alright," the blonde said softly. Hermione was sure the girl heard how she sounded, could tell something was off, though she said nothing of it.

They sat fairly quietly for quite some time as Hermione studied and admired Luna's work, neither one letting go of the other's hand. The older girl made a mental note to try and do something in return for her friend. While Luna may not think it a grand gesture, it was to her. She wanted to do something for her too. She just wasn't sure what yet.


	3. Chapter 3

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Author's Notes: Thanks for the comment and kudos! We'll keep chugging right along!

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When Hermione woke the next morning, she was thankful it was the weekend. Many exams, including the one in potions, were set for next week due to winter break being just around the corner. Hermione was a bit saddened by the fact that it would be the second year in a row she's spent without her family even knowing of her existence.

She lingered in bed longer than normal, feeling the warmth of Crookshanks' rather large body curled up between her legs by her ankles, pinning the blanket in place. She had a habit of going to sleep on her side, only to wake and find herself on her back. Often times, Crookshanks would be cuddling with her, sometimes even laying on top of her feet or legs. She even woke a few mornings to him trying to climb up on her chest, effectively startling her awake and mildly crushing her at the same time. He was far too large and heavy for such a thing, though he insisted on laying with his beloved human. She remembered the day she got him, so young and full of excitement, wandering around and admiring all the things in Diagon Alley with her parents.

They had been so supportive of her, so proud. They wanted nothing more than for her to succeed, even if they had not the slightest clue about the wizarding world. They knew she was special, they knew she was brilliant, and they reminded her of that any time she felt down about herself. She really could use that right about now, she felt so lost without them.

She stretched and caused Crookshanks to stir, though he remained in his spot, trapping her legs. Sitting up, Hermione wiped the sleep from her eyes, then looked down at the cat-kneazle hybrid with a fond smile. She was so relieved that Ginny had agreed to take care of him while she was out chasing down horcruxes. She had been even more relieved that he was so happy and affectionate when they finally reunited. She had worried that he'd grow to resent her for leaving him and in turn, form an attachment with her red headed friend, forgetting all about Hermione.

He was a clever one though. She'd talk with him about things she didn't feel comfortable telling others. She'd tell him all sorts of things really, and it truly felt like he understood her, as silly as it may sound. The way he ran to her when he heard her voice for the first time in nearly a year truly reaffirmed that to her. She told him where she'd be going, what she'd be doing, and that he'd have to stay with Ginny. She told him to wait for her, and he did. Then, she came back and he truly _ran _to her. She was so overjoyed, the sight brought her to tears. He remembered her and he loved her. Crookshanks was the only family she had left that did.

Slipping her legs out from under the covers, Hermione shifted and laid back down, now face to face with Crookshanks as she pet him. He yawned and stretched himself, causing Hermione's smile to grow.

"Good morning my handsome, clever fellow," she murmured.

He blinked several times and squinted at her, then yawned again, clearly not yet ready to wake. Chuckling to herself, Hermione continued to speak lowly to him, "You've become rather lazy, Crookshanks. Perhaps I should look into getting you some new toys. Have you tired of the ones you have now? Are they not up to your standards?" she joked.

Yawning again, the cat pushed himself back slightly and raised his paw to Hermione's face. He lightly placed it against her cheek, and held it there as her smile grew. He wanted her to be quiet. She felt like laughing, though she contained it. Satisfied that his human stopped speaking and would let him rest, Crookshanks lowered his paw and repositioned himself, ready to go back to sleep.

Just then, the dormitory door flew open with an exasperated, "There you are! You're still in bed?"

Leaning back and looking over her shoulder, Hermione grinned as Ginny ushered in, a look of worry on her face.

"Are you ill?" the red head asked, moving to sit behind her on the bed.

"No, am I not allowed to sleep in?" the older girl questioned back, rolling over to properly face her friend.

Ginny playfully glared down at her, "I didn't mean it like that, it's just that you never sleep in this late."

Sitting up instantly, worried of squandering the day away, the brunette rushed out, "What time is it?"

She felt movement behind her, and soon she felt the tell tale patting as Crookshanks walked across the bed.

"A little after ten," the younger girl replied with a grin, clearly amused by her friend's sudden change in demeanor.

A small thump, then she saw him strutting out the door, not even looking at them as he left. He had more attitude than she knew what to do with.

"After ten already? Goodness..." Hermione looked around the room, trying to remember what all she wanted to do that day.

She decided she would find Crookshanks later and be extra sweet to him, he had a habit of being quite grumpy when woken before he wanted to be. She also had more studying to do. Plus, she had decided in bed last night that she'd knit Luna a matching set of gloves, hat and scarf for Christmas. She deemed it a very personal, time consuming gift that could be given to balance out all that the girl had recently done for Hermione without being weirdly over-personal. At least, she hoped so. Luna may decide to give her a gift as well, and then where would she be? She knew it wasn't a competition or anything, yet she felt the need to doing something truly special that was greater than what Luna had already done for her.

Unable to hold it any longer, Ginny began to laugh as she watched the older girl who was deep in thought, sitting in her nightgown on her messy bed. Narrowing her eyes, Hermione grumbled, "I have quite a lot to do today. Weekends are the only time I can get much of anything personal done. I need to get ready for the day."

Scooting out of bed, the brunette made her way towards her trunk and began rooting around for clothes. Ginny remained seated and the humor was clear in her voice as she said, "You're rather grumpy when you wake up."

"I am not!" Hermione shot back indignantly, tossing a sweater onto the bed.

"And argumentative," the red head continued, her grin widening.

Glaring at her friend, the older girl threw her balled up undergarments from her fist next to the sweater after slamming a pair of khakis down, "Is there any particular reason why you've decided to grace me with your presence this morning, Ginevra?"

"You weren't at dinner last night," she replied easily, leaning back on her hands behind her.

Hermione flushed slightly, a little embarrassed to admit why (though she couldn't quite place the reasoning), but did so anyway as she muttered, "I was in the library studying with Luna."

"I figured as much, you two spend an awful lot of time there together anymore," Ginny stated, her tone just as light and easy as before.

Hermione on the other hand only felt more embarrassed by it, awkwardly standing up straight and raking a brush through her hair. She brushed a bit more forcefully than she should, but she was so flustered over the fact that Ginny _noticed _how often she disappeared with their odd little blonde friend, absorbed in their own little world. Something about it just felt like she needed to hide it, like she didn't want anyone else to know. She didn't want anyone intruding on their time together and wasn't sure how to put into words why she felt that way.

"Do you have plans with Luna today?" the younger girl asked, startling Hermione who had grown quiet and contemplative, wondering why she didn't want Ginny to talk about her and the blonde's studying as if it were sacred.

Suddenly nervous for reasons she couldn't understand, Hermione responded with, "Why do you ask?" After a moment's hesitation, she added, "I need to change you know."

Shrugging, Ginny flopped back to lay on the bed. She turned and faced away, propping her head up with her hand, "I didn't want to just assume, but I thought it was highly likely that you'd see her today before I would. I got a letter from my mum at dinner last night and there's something she wanted me to ask the both of you."

"Oh?" was the only response as Hermione tried to dress herself quickly, waiting for the red head to continue.

"Yeah, so, she invited you two to spend the Christmas holiday with us." Ginny started with, instantly warming Hermione's heart. Molly had always been so very kind to her and Harry both, treating them like her own children. She appeared to be reaching out to Luna now as well it seemed, the girl's home not yet fully repaired. Her father wouldn't be there either. After his time locked away at Azkaban, he didn't return the same man.

He was, in truth, a rather fragile man who felt as though he had lost everything. His wife, his daughter, his home, everything that mattered to him. And that sadness, that darkness in his heart, the dementors fed on it. That feeling festered in him, blaming himself for everything he lost. It drove him mad. Luna doesn't talk about it much, usually only talking about the man he used to be. Xenophilius was now a permanent resident at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, and that was about as much as Hermione truly knew about it.

"I know our Christmases aren't much, and it'll be even less this year since we still haven't fully recovered from everything, but you're welcome to come. So is Luna. She said she'd invite Harry as well. I'm not really sure where mum plans on fitting everyone, but you know how she is. She likes to surround herself with people to mother," the red head said with a fond sort of amusement.

"We'll find room, I'd love to spend Christmas with everyone," Hermione said earnestly. It had been on her mind a lot recently. She knew Molly would more than likely invite her to stay and she had been looking forward to it. Having all her friends around her and the busyness of the Weasley family home would help take her mind off the fact that she couldn't spend the holiday with her own family. She missed Harry dearly and wanted to talk with him as much as she could while there. Knowing he and Ginny would be together often, she'd have to find a way to get him alone so she could talk to him about Luna and the confusing thoughts and feelings that came with the eccentric blonde.

Speaking of, the thought of spending any real time with Luna outside of school after becoming so close was both exciting and terrifying. Most of what they talked about were academics and with that element gone, Hermione was nervous that Luna wouldn't find her as interesting to talk to anymore. She knew so much about the younger girl, yet at the same time, she felt like she knew so very little. Just silly, inconsequential things like... What was Luna's favorite food? Her favorite book? She liked draw and paint, make jewelry, but did she have any other hobbies? What sort of taste in music did she have? The list goes on and seems so irrelevant, yet Hermione pondered these things regularly.

"Great, I'll write mum back as soon as I know whether or not Luna's coming too. She might try to shove the two of you in my room with me, and if so, I apologize in advance. My bed is barely big enough for me, so you'd probably be on the floor and I left my room in a bit of a mess before leaving for school. Mum will probably have cleaned it up herself before we get there, but she'll be sure to fuss," Ginny said, her voice showing a bit of fear of her mother's wrath.

"Don't worry about it," Hermione said, remembering the panicked terror on Ron's face when he saw the Howler from his mother. The whole dining hall was silent expect for Molly Weasley's shrill voice bouncing off the walls as she screeched at him for his misbehavior. It was a bit intimidating to Hermione herself who had absolutely nothing to do with it, yet there was still this feeling of a smug satisfaction to witness him being reprimanded. It felt good considering how many times she herself had yelled at him for his stupidity.

In that moment, she felt a bit like she was perhaps something like Ron's "mother" while he was at school with the way she'd fuss at him and clean up after him. It's probably why Molly had liked her so much, knowing Hermione would take care of her son when she couldn't. The girl wasn't entirely certain how she felt about that, though it was amusing in a way.

The last bit of clothing Hermione had left were her socks, so she sat down on the edge of the bed to pull them on. Feeling the bed shift, Ginny rolled over to face the brunette's back and idly studied her bushy mane. Grinning to herself, the younger girl quickly clamored off the bed as an idea came to her. The movement startled Hermione who looked to her friend's retreating form who suddenly announced, "Wait here!"

"What? Why?" came the confused response.

"Because I said so!" the red head shouted humorously, disappearing out the door.

Huffing to herself, Hermione grabbed her shoes and began tying them, deciding she would look for Luna after getting something to eat. She knew she should start on the girl's gift and she would, it was just that her excitement for the holiday break was getting the better of her. She wanted to find Luna as quickly as possible and tell her that she was invited to the Weasley's with her. That they could spend time together somewhere other than the library, maybe even leave the Weasley's to go somewhere and do something like wander shopping strips or go for coffee or _anything_. She could learn more about Luna that way too. She could learn what types of places the girl liked to go, what she liked to see, maybe even find something she could buy her to commemorate their first time truly "hanging out" with one another.

She was certain now, she had to find a way to go out and do something with Luna over the break. She didn't really care what they did or where they went, she just wanted that time with the other girl.

Just a few short moments after Hermione had finished tying her shoes, Ginny came rushing back into the room and bounced onto the bed, a large grin on her face. The motion caused Hermione herself to bounce a bit and she turned with a smile to look at what her enthusiastic friend brought back with her.

Thrusting her hand out to show off the item, the younger girl said, "Here, I thought this would go nicely with your sweater."

Looking down, the brunette realized it was a decently sized hair clip. It was rectangular in shape, though it's edges were soft and just slightly rounded. It had swirls of deep reds in various shades all blended together with no apparent pattern. It was simple, though very attractive and appealing to Hermione due to it's simplicity.

"Turn around," Ginny lightly demanded, "I'll put it on for you."

Trying to resist a smile, Hermione turned to give the other girl access to her hair as she softly said, "Thank you."

She'd never say so, but she liked a certain level of pampering. From time to time, Ginny would take to doing simple things with her hair and she always found it enjoyable. It may sound a tad vain, but it made her feel very pretty that day and she'd glance at her reflection on a few occasions, wondering where her awkward eleven year old self that first came to Hogwarts disappeared to.

Pulling around the top front of Hermione's hair, the red head shuffled to the girl's side, holding the hair in place. She inspected how it looked, pulling a little free to frame her face here, adjusting and pulling a bit back with the rest there. Once satisfied, Ginny clipped the hair in place on the back of the older girl's head with a solid, "There you go!"

"How do I look?" she asked cheekily.

Ginny pretended to literally be blown away, leaning far back and placing her hand to her chest, turning her head from side to side as she gushed, "Beautiful, truly! So very stunning, I am in awe!"

Hermione tried fighting her smile as she reached over and lightly swatted the other girl's knee, "Oh, shut it."

Scooting off the bed to stand, the younger girl grinned and said, "I imagine you're probably hungry by now, soon you'll start growing bitter, so I'll take my leave before that happens."

"I don't become bitter," the brunette said in mock offense.

"You actually made Ron cry once when you hadn't eaten in several hours," Ginny teased.

"I apologized!" Hermione exclaimed, "He can be trying for anyone's patience, and you know he was being exceptionally frustrating that day and I was terribly hungry and it simply got blown all out of proportion. He barely cried, maybe three tears, and he accepted my apology."

During her whole defense, Ginny watched her become more and more frantic about it, causing the red head's smile to widen to the point that she began laughing once the older girl was through.

"It's not funny! I felt awful," Hermione whined.

"Looking back, it was funny," the other girl countered.

Scowling, the brunette slid off the bed and began grabbing a hold of the sheets. The elves there at Hogwarts would make her bed for her, but she didn't like the idea of that. She had come to understand that there were many who were truly happy to serve and they weren't mistreated at Hogwarts, but she still didn't want them doing anything for her that she couldn't do herself. She simply didn't like the idea of "servants" as it didn't sit right with her. She had always made her bed every morning growing up, her parents (mainly her mother) insisted, and that was never going to change. It was part of her routine.

Sensing that her friend was in fact becoming bitter due to hunger, Ginny decided to get out of there quickly. Hermione could be a little scary at times.

"I'll see you at lunch I suppose," the red head stated, inching for the door.

"Maybe. If I'm eating breakfast this late, I may end up skipping lunch," Hermione said while shaking out her sheets, looking up at the other girl.

Nodding, Ginny reminded her with, "Make sure you tell Luna about Christmas break."

"Of course," the older girl sounded slightly irked, as if that were clearly obvious.

Grinning, the red head couldn't stop herself from one last tease, "Give her a hug for me too."

With a wink, Ginny turned and practically ran out the door. Hermione stood there dumbstruck with a pillow in her hands. Ginny joked about many things and was always so full of energy, so that wasn't odd. But...

Why on Earth did she wink?


End file.
